FTC refund program · Open
FTC Western Union Refunds
The Justice Department is sending payments totaling nearly $40 million to about 25,000 people in the U.S. and abroad who paid scammers through Western Union, following settlements with the Justice Department and the FTC. Unlike most FTC refunds, this one is not automatic: if you sent money to a scammer by Western Union between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017 and never filed a claim, you may still be able to file one with the claims administrator, Gilardi & Co. LLC, on 855-786-1048. Earlier rounds in March 2020, September 2020 and June 2021 returned more than $365 million to over 148,000 people, and more checks are expected. The FTC will not ask you to pay money to receive a refund.
There is no claim form for this one. The administrator pays consumers it has already identified, so the useful step is to make sure they can reach you — not to file anything. Anyone offering to file it for you, for a fee, is selling you nothing.
Facts from the official materials
- Status
- Open
- Type
- FTC refund program
- Category
- Banking and finance
- Defendant / company
- Western Union
- Administrator
- FTC
- Claim deadline
- See official notice
- Eligibility period
- January 1, 2004 – January 19, 2017
- States
- See official notice (often nationwide)
- Proof
- No claim to file — payments are sent automatically
- Possible amount
- Varies — paid automatically, no claim form
- Source confidence
- high
- Last verified
- August 29, 2026
Many FTC programs send refunds automatically. Amounts vary. Confirm the current status on the official FTC page.
Eligibility questions
These questions help you decide whether to read the official notice. They are not a legal determination.
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